Guncotton-press.



No. 660,727. Patented Oct. 30, I900.

A. HDLLINGS.

su'uconou PRESS.

(Application fllad Apr. 80, 1900.)

Wu Model.)

2 Sheets$heet l.

13M -MHWW W c D d a t n e at a P S G N L L 0 H Am GUNCOTTON PRESSJ (Application filed Apr. 30, 1900.)

2 Shaats-Shoet 2.

W0 Modal.)

Wilnesses rm. unmm PETERS c0. PHOFOJJIRO, WASHNGTUM D. u

Uririrnn STATES Parent OFFICE.

ALFRED HOLLINGS, OF OHORLTON-CUM-I-IARDY, ENGLAND.

GUNGQTTON-PRESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 660,727, dated October 30, 1900. Application filed April 30, 1900. Serial No. 14,891. (No model-l To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that l, ALFRED HOLLINGS, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Ohorlton-cuiii-Hardy, in the county of Lancaster, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Pressing Guncotton into Blocks, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide appliances whereby masses of guncotton in the state of pulp may be quickly and safely compressed into the finished form of charges for shells, Ate, without liability of flaws occurring in the structure of the charge or of absorption of air, which might impede full detonation of the charge when used, and whereby the charge after compression may be readily extracted from the mold or die. I attain this object by apparatus'such as is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a plan of the whole apparatus. 2 is a cross-section at the line A A on Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal section of the mold or die for forming the charge. Fig. 4 is a transverse section at the line B B on Fig. 2). Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the container for holding the mass of uncottonpulp before being pushed into the mold, and Fi 6 is a transverse section at the line C O on Fig. 5.

For the purposes of my invention I form or support the mass of guncotton by any convenient means in a perforated container 2, which is carried by means of rings in an outer holder or casing i, there being provided between the containerand such casing a space 5, into which water under pressure can be introduced through a pipe 6 to prevent the pulp entering the perforations in the container 2 and to act as alnbri'cant to allow of the mass being easily forced out of the container 2 and intothe mold or die 7 by a hydraulic ram 8 or other convenient means. The mold 7 rests on a carriage 9, mounted on a swivel 10, carried in a block 11, movablh on slides 12, so that such mold can be swiveled from the position shown by the dotted-lines to that shown by solid lines and can also be moved to any position between the hydraulic rams 13 and 14, which are carried in cylinders 15 and 16, secured to the heads 17 and 18, which are con nected together by rods 19. The mold 7 is formed of an inner-lining 20, divided longitudinally into two or more pieces, preferably three, as shown, ajacketzll, divided longitudinallyinto several pieces, and an outer casing 22. The interior surface 23 of the outer casing and the exterior surface 24 of the jacket are made conical or tapering, so that when the pieces of the jacket are moved endwisein the outer casing in the direction shown by the arrow the pieces of the lining are tightly wedged together, so as to form tight joints.

25 indicates perforations in the lining and jacket opening into passages 26, preferably formed as annular channels between the jacket 21 and outer casing 22, so that water may readily escape from the charge or mass of guncotton during compression. The passages 26 are all connected together by lateral openings 27 and to a pipe 28, leading to a tank placed in any convenient position, so that if the charge should expand when the pressure of the ram is taken off water may flew back instead of air being drawn in. The passages 26 may be, however, formed and arranged in any convenient way so long as a water-space surrounding the lining is provided to prevent air being drawn into or absorbed by the gun cotton.

When the mass of guncotton has been pushed into the mold by the ram 8, the mold is swiveled into the position shown by the solid lines, with the slightly-projecting end of the jacket and lining at 29 resting against the head 30 of the ram 13 and the end of the outer casing resting against an annular ring 31, carried on the head 30. The ram 14 is now caused to advance and press the mass in the mold to the desired extent. The ram 13 may also be caused to advance to assist in the pressing by moving the mold 7 toward the ram 14. When the charge is completely pressed, the rain 14 is withdrawn and an annular head is attached, which bears only against the end of the casing 22. The ,"ring 31 is removed from the head of the ram 13, so that the rain 13 may be allowed to advance and push the jacket 21 and lining 20 slightly endwise in the casing, thus slackening the pieces lOO of such jacket and linin The rams l3 and 14 are withdrawn and the mold swiveled into the position shown bydotted lines, when the lining 20 and completed charge can be easily pushed out of the jacket 2l onto a bracket 32 by means of the ram 8, which is provided with an extension-head for the purpose. The pieces of the lining are then separated from the charge, replaced in the jacket 21, and wedged up ready for the operation to be repeated. It is not absolutely necessary to employ the lining 20, the jacket 21 may be shaped internally so as to form the charge; but the use of a lining is preferable for extracting the charge. Instead of the mold 7 being connected by a pipe to a tank of water the whole of the apparatus maybe submerged in a large tank of water to prevent access of air; but this is not so convenient for working. The ram 8 and the casing 4 are supported on .abracket 33, secured to the bedplate 34 of the press.

I do not con fine myself to the part cular arrangements of parts described, as various modifications may be made without departing from the nature of the invention. For instance, the holder 4 may be placed in line with the ram 14, which may be used to push the guncotton into the mold, the holder being afterward removed. I

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination with apparatus'for pressing guncotton into blocks, a perforated container for the guncotton, a holder for the container arranged with a space between the holder and the container, and a connection leading from said space to a source of liquid under pressure and arranged to maintain a fluid-pressure in said space; substantially as described.

2. In apparatus for pressing material into blocks, the combination with pressing mechanism, of a mold constructed with an outer casing coned internally and an inner jacket divided longitudinally into several pieces and coned externally to fit the cone .of the outer casing; substantially as described.

3. In apparatus for pressing material into blocks, the combination with pressing mechanism, of a mold constructed with an outer casing coned internally, an inner jacket divided longitudinally into several pieces and coned externally. to fit the cone of the outer casing, and an inner liningtlividetl longitudinally into several pieces; substantially as described.

4. In apparatus for pressing material into blocks, the combination with pressing mechanism, of a mold constructed with an outer casing coned internally and an inner divided jacket coned externally, water-spaces between the casing and the jacket, and the jacketbeing provided with perforations leading from the water-spaces to the interior surface of the jacket; substantially as described.

5. In apparatus for pressing material into blocks, the combination with pressing mechanism, of a mold constructed with an outer casing coned internally, an inner divided jacket coned externally, and an inner divided lining, water-spaces between the casing and the jacket, and the jacket and lining being provided with perforations leading from the water-spaces to the interior surface of the lining; substantially as described.

6. In apparatus for pressing material into blocks, the combination with pressing mechanism, of a mold constructed with an out-er casing coned internally, an inner divided jacket coned externally, and an inner divided lining, Water-spaces between the jacket and lining and the lining being provided with perforations leading from the water-spaces to the interior surface of the lining; substantially as described.

7. In combination with a press, a mold having a lining, the contacting faces of the mold and lining being shaped to slacken the lining when partially withdrawn, means for pressing the charge of guncott'on in the mold, means for slackening the lining of the mold, and means for ejecting the lining and the tinished charge; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALFRED HOLLINGS.

Witnesses:

W. B. JOHNSON, H. DUGGAN. 

